Nature 308, 32 - 36 (01 March 1984); doi:10.1038/308032a0

Cryo-electron microscopy of viruses

Marc Adrian, Jacques Dubochet, Jean Lepault & Alasdair W. McDowall

European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Postfach 10.2209, D-6900 Heidelberg, FRG

Thin vitrified layers of unfixed, unstained and unsupported virus suspensions can be prepared for observation by cryo-electron microscopy in easily controlled conditions. The viral particles appear free from the kind of damage caused by dehydration, freezing or adsorption to a support that is encountered in preparing biological samples for conventional electron microscopy. Cryo-electron microscopy of vitrified specimens offers possibilities for high resolution observations that compare favourably with any other electron microscopical method.

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